Doll Camp Day 1

My campers had no idea that Doll Camp was actually going to be Math Camp! All my campers learned how to use a measuring tape today and figure out the measurements for their dolls. Then they calculated those measurements for tiered skirts and made patterns. Whew! It was a day of patience and concentration. I am so proud of them!

DIY Camp Denim Etc. Projects

Last day of camp was today. We spent the last two days working on denim projects, cutting up jeans and pants and making them into skirts and bags. The creative juices were flowing! We worked on embellishing our designs after we finished them. Bob did a cool demo - he drew with the tailor's wax as a resist and then used the fabric spray paint to create cool images. The kids dug it and he drew pictures for all of them.
The last day I challenged them to use all the scraps in the scrap baskets to make monsters. I told them any scraps left I would sew onto their clothes. A few of them weren't sure if I was kidding or not!
It was a great week. Up next, 18" doll clothes camp. Meanwhile I will be drawing like mad to finish up some projects I have in the works.

DIY Camp Pillowcase Projects

I have the best summer job ever -- teaching kids how to make clothes! This week has been a blast! Tuesday we re-purposed pillowcases into tops, skirts, bags, and a baby dress. The kids got to sew by hand and on a machine, some for the first time... They learned how to make a casing with elastic pulled through it, measure an outseam, and best of all they got to experience what it feels like to wear something they made themselves. Pretty cool!

I took my daughter to the drug store to get ponytail holders so she could show me the idea she had for making straps for her tube top. Her actual idea was even better than I initially described: I though she meant to use hair bands, when she intended to loop hair ties together to make the straps. If you look closely you can see that she sewed buttons on her top so they would be removable. Brilliant!

DIY Design Camp Day 1

What a great day! Camp was so fun! The kids were amazing and creative and enthusiastic - I feel really lucky to get to do this.
My 9 year old daughter can't fall asleep tonight because she is thinking about how to remake her clothes! She just came up to me and told me an idea for taking her fabric head bands and making them into shoulder straps for a top. Go for it!
We made garments out of a pile of random t'shirts I had. One of my favorite moments today (there were so many!) was when one camper decided to drape her design on a mannequin instead of drawing it, and when a 7-year old boy got to use the "machine with a knife!" It was also fantastic to see the kids develop their ideas and create them. I can't wait until tomorrow...

Obsessed with Lions!

I can't believe Design Camp Starts on Monday - I am super excited! The studio is almost all rearranged for Session 1, DIY camp. After a few trips to the bins, I think I have plenty of supplies. Scored a ton of cute 60's sheets and pillowcases, lots of ts and jeans, and a few bed skirts and curtains. We are going to have so much fun!
My volunteer next week is the illustrious Bob Smith (I know he has a blog, but I can't find it!) He teaches art workshops at Glencoe Elementary and is a great graphic designer. I worked with him at Nike ages ago, so it will be super fun to hang out again.

Lions are latest inspiration obsession. Here are a few lions that make me happy:

Birdcage on Apartment Therapy!

It is nice when your friends like the stuff you make. It is even nicer when they post it on Apartment Therapy! Margaret, editor of Thereby Hangs a Tale sent in this photo of frames her dad made for her and you can see one of the birdcages Tanya & I made in the corner.

Thanks Margaret!

Repeat after me...

Just happened upon Spoonflower - a little co over East that is printing digital yardage for those of us who need to have our own designs to make stuff. I am so excited about this resource, but you have to be invited right now while they are getting up and running. I really hope I make it on the list. I have a show in July and my printer here is not able to do it right now.

Amy Ruppel also told me about a great tutorial that Julia Rothman gave recently on how to make a textile repeat the old fashioned way. I found it on Design*sponge if you want to check it out. You can also do this in photoshop using the offset filter (for those of us who also do computer design)

I decided to work on some designs for Clothkits as my first project with my new Adobe CS3 software that the team over at Fred Meyer gave me. Here is one of the designs I submitted for the Clothkit contest. I was inspired by good old fashioned calligraphy. I can't wait to do more designs like these! Maybe I will go in this direction for the July Show at Garnish.